Oil-well pump



May 13, 1930. A. ARUTUNOFF OIL WELL PUMP Filed July 5, 1927 4 7 z r y y 4 y m Q f a. z I p Z w w 4 W ilw M 7 V J a i 0 W 2 5 i. I

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Patented May 13, 1930 ARMAIS ARUTUNOFF LOS ANGELES, CALJEFOBNIA OIL-WELL rm Application filed July 5, 1927. 3:1'131410; 203,512.

My invention relates to pumps for elevatingliquids, and particularly, although not necessarily, to pumps for elevating oil from wells.

It isa purpose of my invention to provide a pump for elevating oil from wells which is characterized by the employment of any fluid other than a liquidplaced under pressure and permitted to expand in such rela tion to the oil within the well as to subject the latter to a series of lifting impulses in a successive ascending order, whereby the oil is caused to flow from the well.

It is also a purpose of my invention to proof a combustible gas is employed and controlled to occur successively in the chambers of a plurality of pumping units so as to displace bodies of oil successively from one chamber to the next chamber above until they are finally ejected from the well.

I will describe only two forms of oil well pumps embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a view showing schematicall and partly in section one form of oil we] pump embodying my invention.

' ig. 2 is a view similar schematically and party in section a modified form of pump embodying my invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical and sectional view showing a modified Jform of 3'5 pumping'unit having a relief valve and embodying my invention.

In the drawings and particularly in Fig.

1, my invention in its present embodiment is shown as comprising a pump barrel desig- 4o nated generally at B, which is tubular in form and of such length that when placed within a well casing K', as illustrated in Fig.

1, its lower end will be submerged within the oil, and its outer end projected from the top of the well. The barrel B is made in secvide an oil well pump in which "the expulsion to Fig. 1 showing form abutments for the float tions connected in end to end relation so as to be disposed one'above the other, and

each section constitutes a pumping unit which, through the employment of an expansible fluid, operates to displace oil therefrom and into the next unit above. The lowermost or inlet pumping unit comprises a barrel section 15 provided at its lower end with an inlet port 16 through which the passage of. oil is controlled by a valve 17 in such a manner that oil is free to enter the barrel section from the Well casing, but it cannot be discharged from the barrel sectionthrough the port.

The upper end of the barrel section 15 is defined by a partition 18 which-separates the barrel section from the next one above. Communication between the two barrel sections is effected, however, through the provision of a tube 19 whichextends downward ly from the partition 18 into the barrel sec tion 15 and is at its lower end provided with an inlet port 20 controlled by a valve 21, to prevent descension of oil therein but to permit ascension of oil from the barrel section 15 upwardly into the barrel section 22 of the next pumping unit. At the upper end of the barrel section 15, adjacentto the partition 18, is a fluid inlet port 23 controlled by a valve 24, the stem of which is engageable by a notched cam member 25 fixed to, the ulpper end of a rod 26, freely movable within t e barrel section.15, and through a float 27 disposed in the barrel section and in surrounding relation to the tube 19. Spaced stops 28 and 29 are fixed to the rod 26 and 27 in a manner to cause the float in its vertical movements to actuate the cam member 25 so as to move the latter into or out of engagement with the va ve 24 and thus to open or close the latter. With the float 27 in the elevated position shown in Fig. 1 it engages the upper abutment 28, thereby lifting the cam 25 to engage and secure theIvalve 24 in open position, In

the lowermost position of the float it engages the abutment 29, thus lowering the cam 25 out of engagement with the valve 24 so as to permit the latter to move to closed position- The port 23 communicates with a fluid supply pipe 30 which extends upwardly at'the outer side of thebarrel B to the top ofthe well where 1t is adapted for communication with a source of fluid supply, as will be described hereinafter. By the provision of this pipe 30 and suitable mechanism, an ex pansible fluid is supplied to the barrel section 15 in a manner to displace the oil contained therein and thus cause the latter to be ejected from the barrel section through the tube 19 into the barrel section 22 of the next unit above. In this operation the pressure imposed upon the oil closes the inlet valve 17 and opens the valve 20 so as to prevent ejection of oil from the port 16 and to permit the oil to be expelled through the tube 19. As the oil is expelled, the float 27 descends and thereby engages the abutment 29, thus actuating the cam 25 in order to permit closing of the valve 24 so that further supply of the pressure fluid to the barrel section 15 top of the well. Pressure fluid is adapted to be supplied to the barrel sections of these units through branch pipes 35, 36, and 37, respectively, in communication with the main supply pipe 30.

In the present embodiment of my invention I employ a combustible gas, such as gasoline vapors, asthe pressure fluid for displacing oil successively upward from the lowermost pumping unit, and through the provision of suitable means charges of this combustible gas to the pipe 30. as exploded by ignition, and then exhausted. The three operations constitute a cycle and by the said means the cycle of operation is effected and repeated indefinitely and automatically so as to produce, in eflect, a continuous pumping of oil from the well.

The means in the present instance comprises a valve V rotatable ina casing C and provided with an L-shaped port 38, the ends of which are adapted to register'with casing ports 39, 40 and 41, the latter port being in communication with an exhaust pipe 42. The port 39 communicates with the supply pipe 30, while the port 40 communicates with an intake pipe 43 connected with a suitable carburetor 44 to which air under pressure are intermittently supplied 45 by a pipe 46, and

is supplied from. a tank suitable combustible gasoline or any other fluid is supplied from .a tank 47 through a pipe. 48. An air pump 49 is provided for supplying air under pressure to the tank The valve is rotatable in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow by means of an electric motor M having a worm 50 meshin with a worm wheel secured to the valve in any-suitable manner. A conducting ring 53 is fixed to the valve for rotation therewith, and this ring is provided at intervals with segments53, 54, and 55, of insulating material. These segments are at their outer sides exposed to the periphery of the ring. A contact arm- 57 extends radially from the ring 52 for bridging a pair of stationary contacts 58 constituting the terminals of a circuit for a spark plug 58 disposed to produce a spark within the pipe 30 for igniting the gas charge therein. This ignition circuit is supplied with current from a generator G, the latter also being employed to supply current to the motor l\ The circuit for the motor M includes a pair of spring cont-act arms 59 and 60, both of which are positioned to bear on the periphery of the conducting ring 52 or the insulating segments 53, 54, and 55, depending upon the position of the conducting ring,

dial of the gauge, and the contact 61 being located at a certain point on the dial, so as to register a predetermined pressure above zero of the fluid in the pipe, and the hand being allowed to continue rotation in a clockwise direction beyond. the contact 61 so as 'to be out of contact therewith when the pressure in the pipe 30 exceeds the pressure in di'cated on the dial at the contact 61.

The operation of the pump is as follows:

When the pumpbarrel is lowered into the well, oil enters and fills the barrel section 15 throughthe port 16, thus elevating the float 27 to the position shown in Fig. 1 and thereby lifting the cam 25 so as to secure the valve 24 in open position. It being assumed that the generator G is operating and thus, when the spring contacts 59 and 60 are in engagement with the ring 52, causing rotation of the motor M and consequently rotating the valve. V to the position shown in Fig. 1, so that the pipes 30 and 43 thereby come in communication with each other, it is apparent that the combustible gas mixture from the carburetor 44 will be supplied to until the pressure thereof is such that the hand 64 of the gauge comes into engagement with the contact 61; As soon as the Valve has been rotated to its position for establishing communication betweenthe pipes 30 and 43, the valve is stopped, since the motor circuit is broken between the spring contacts 59 and 60 by the insulating segment 53. However, since both the hand 64 and the. contact 61 are in the circuit'for the motor M, it is clear that, as soon as the hand engages the contact, the motor is again enerwithin the barrel instance,

g1zed, thus setting the valve V and the conducting ring 52 into rotation. ment of the valve V is such as to disconnect the pipe 43 from the pipe 30, while the movement of the conducting ring is such as to causethe contact arm 57 to bridge the contacts 58 and thereby close the ignition circuit. The spark occurring at the plug 58 ignites the gas in the pipe and the barrel section 15 thereby producing a relatively high pressure, which operates to expel the oil from the barrel section upwardly through the tube 19 into the barrel section 22, and at the same time causes the hand 64 to rotate beyond the contact 61, asbefore described.

Itis important to note that the engagement of the hand 64 with the contact 61 is only momentary but sufficientto initiate energization of the motor M. Such'energization causes the'motor to rotate the ring 52 suificiently to move the insulating segment 53 out of engagement with the contact arms 59 and 60, thereby completing the circuit for the motor through the contact arms and the conducting ring 52, as will be understood. Thus, the motorcontinues to operate until the next insulating segment 54 engages the spring contact arm 59 so as to disrupt the motor circuit and thus discontinue further .rotation of the conducting ring. By such an operation, the ring,

together with the valve V, is moved through an arc of substantially and this movement is sufficient to close the end of the pipe 30 and cause the contact arm 57 to bridge the contacts 58. 7

Following an explosion of the gas mixture section 15, its pressure gradually decreases and consequently causes the hand 64 to return to its former position in engagement with the contact 61, thus again completing the motor circuit and thereby setting the motor into operation so as to produce further initial rotation of the valve V and the conducting ring 52. As in the first such initial rotation-of the ring 52 is suflicient to displace the insulating segment 54 from engagement with the arms 59 and 60 so that the motor circuit is maintained intact through the contact arms and the conducting ring until the succeeding initiate operation of the motor. The move-' spring contact" segment 55 moves into engagement with the- The segments'54 and and as afconsequencespring contactarm 59.

55 are spaced apart 45 the second movement of the conducting ring, as well as the valve V, is through an arc of 45. In this newposition of the valve V its port 38,now efl'ects communication between the the urnt gases are free to exhaust from the barrel section 15 and the pipe 30. When all of the burnt gases have been discharged, the pressure drops to the zero point,'thereby causing the hand 64 to engage the contact 62 and thus again restoring the motor circuit so as to This operation is continued by movement of the segment 55 out of engagement with the spring contact arms and until the ring 52 occupies a position in which the segment 53 moves into engagement with the pressure contact arm 59 when the motor circuit again is disrupted. It'will be clear from the arrangement of the segments 53 and 55 that both the ring 52 and the "valve V move through an arc of 270 which is sufficient to return the two to the original positions shown ,in Fig. 1. This,

completes the cycle of operation for the lowermost pumping unit during which oil from the barrel section 15 has been displaced and delivered to the barrel 22 of the next pumping unit above.

descension of the float 27 functions to permit closing of the valve 24 so that further supply responding float by the oil forced from the barrel section 15. As in the first operation, the pressure of builds up until the pressure to complete the motor circuit, thereby turning the valve V to closed position, completing the ignition circuitso as to produce a spark, and thus efl'ecting ignition of the gaseous charge which functions to expel the oil from'the barrel section 22 upwardly and to the barrel section 31' after the exhaust of the burnt gases cycle of the gas mixture from the barrel secti0n'22 and the pipe 30.

The corresponding inlet valve is permitted to close through lowering of the correspond- As previously described,.

au e functions lpipe 30 and the exhaust pipe 42 so that ooT ing float, thereby completing the operation of the second pumping unit. In this manner the other pumping units are successively operated until the body of oil initially supplied to the lowermostpumping unit has been successively elevated from one pumping unit to another and finallydischarged through the pipe 34 from the barrel section 33. Following this Sequence of operation, the continued rotation of the valve V and the conducting ring 52, again sets the lowermost pumping unit into operation, and this operation is followed i by the successive operation of the other pumplng units, thereby resulting in the elevation and discharge from the well of a second body of oil. It will be understood that the second body of. oil is automatically supplied to the lowermost pumping unit by virtue of the fact that such unit is submerged in the oil.

Referring now to Fig. 2, I have here shown a slightly modified form of pump which is identical with the form shown in Fig. 1, with the exception that a pipe 70 is provided of sufiicient diameter and length to completely house 'the pumpin units, its lower end being closed by a head %1 and its upper end communicating with a ipe 7 2 which corresponds 2 to the pipe 30 and is adapted to conduct the gaseous mixture from the-valve V to the pipe 70 and from the latter to the several barrel sections in the same sequence as described in connection with the first pump. In this modi- 5 fication the barrel sections of the pumping units indicated at 73 are connected with one another by tubes 7 4 which correspond to the tubes 19. The lowermost barrel section is likewise provided with a tube 74 which extends through the head 71 and into the oil in the well. Its lower end is provided with a valve 75 which corresponds to the valve 17 It is desirable, although not necessary, that each pumping unit be provided with a relief valve for relieving the barrel section of any pressure which may develop therein while the 011 is entering the section. In Fig. 3 I have shown the barrel section of a pumping unit provided with sucha relief valve, and in the present instance the valve indicated at 76 is formed on the end of -the stem of the gas inlet valve 24 so that according as the gas valve is opened or closed, the relief valve will be closel or opened. In the open position of the relle valve it permits venting of air to the atmosphere through a port 78, thus relieving the barrel section of any internal pressure.

Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of oil well'pumps embodymg my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims. I claim:

1. A pump adapted for pumping liquid from a well and comprising a barrel, provided with a valve-controlled liquid inlet, a valvecontrolled liquid outlet, and a valve-controlled fluid inlet; means adapted to supply charges of a combustible fluid under pressure to the fluid inlet in the barrel from a suitable source of supply ignition means connected in circuit with a source of electric energy and adapted by the closing of its circuit to ignite the charges of fluid in the barrel; a motor connected in circuit with the source of electric energy; a valve adapted to be operated by the motor and connected in circuit with the source of electric energy; and a pressure gauge connected with the fluid-supply means so as to register; a zero pressure or a predetermined pressure above zeroof the fluid and connected with the valve and motor circuit, thereby closing the valve and motor circuit only when the auge indicates the zero pressure or the predetermined pressure above zero, causing the motor to movethe valve to different positions, the construction and arrangement of the valve being such that in one position the valve will allow the combustible fluid to pass therethrough to the fluid inlet in the barrel, that in a succeeding position the valve in the mechanism will shut off communication between the barrel and the fluid supply and simultaneously will cause the closing of the circuit for the ignition means so as to ignite the charge of the combustible fluid within the barrel and thereby to expel liquid from the barrel through the liquid outlet, and that in a third succeeding position the valve will allowv the exhaust of the burnt gases from the barrel to the atmosphere.

2. A pump adapted for pumping liquid from a well and comprising a barrel provided with a valve-controlled liquid inlet, a valvecontrolled liquid outlet, and a valve-controlled fluid inlet; means adapted to supply charges of a combustible fluid under pressure to the 4 fluid inlet in the barrel from a suitable source of supply; ignition means connected in circuit with a source of electric energy and adapted by the closing of its circuit to ignite the charges of fluid in the barrel; a motor connected in circuit with the source of electric energy; a valve adapted to be operated by the motor and connected in circuit with the source of electric energy; a pressure gauge connected with the fluid-supply means so as to register a zero pressure or a predetermined pressure above zero of the fluid and connected with the valve and motor circuit, thereby closing the valve and, motor circuit only when the gauge indicates the zero pressure or the predetermined pressure above zero,-and thus causing the motor to move the valve to different positions, the construction and arrangement of the valve being such that in one position the valve will allow the combustible fluid to pass therethrough to the fluid inlet in the barrel, hat in a succeeding position 'theva'lve will shutofl' communication between the barrel and the fluid supply and simultaneously will-cause the closlng of the circuit for the ignition means so as to ignite the charge of the combustible fluid within the barrel and thereby to expel liquid from the barrel through the liquid outlet, and that in a third succeeding position the valve will allow the exhaust of the burnt gases from the barrel 5 and thus comparatively full of liquid and to allow the valve at the fluid inlet to close when has been expelled from the barrel.

3. A pump adapted for pumping liquid from a well and comprising a barrel provided with a valve-controlled liquid inlet, a valvecontrolled liquid outlet, a fluid inlet, and a the liquid 'relief port leading from the interior of the barrel to the atmosphere; means adapted to supply charges of a combustible fluid under pressure to the fluid inlet in the barrel from a suitable source of supply; ignition means connected in circuit with a source of electric energy andadapted by the closing of its circuit to ignite the charges of fluid in the barrel; a motor connected in circuit with the source of electric energy;

a valve adapted to be operated by the f motor and connected in circuit with the source of electric energy; a pressure gauge so as to register a zero pressure or a predetermined pressure above zero of the fluid and connected with the valve and motor circuit, thereby closing the valve and motor circuit only when the gauge indicates the zero pressure or the predetermined pressure above zero, and thus causing the motor to move the valve to difl'erent positions, the construction and arrangement of the valve being such that in one position the valve will allow the combustible fluid to pass therethrough to the fluid'inlet'iii the barrel, that in a succeeding position the valve will shut off communication between the barrel and the fluid supply and simultaneously "will cause the closing of the circuit for the ignition means so as to ignite the charge of the fluid within the. barrel and thereby to expel liquid from the barrel through the liquid outlet, and that in a third succeeding position the valve will allow the exhaust of theburnt gases from the barrel to the atmosphere; a valve adapted to close the fluid inlet; a relief valve integral with the valve for the fluid inlet and adapted to close th valve for the fluid inlet is open, or to be in open position when the valve for the fluid inlet is closed, so as to relieve the barrel of an fluid pressure when the barrel is bein filled with liquid; and means controlled by t e flow of liquid in the barrel so as to cause the simultaneous operation of the relief valve and the above another within a well and to pump liquid from the latter; means adapted to supply charges of a combustible fluid under pressure to the pumping units from a suitable source of supply; ignition means con- -nected' in circuit withia source of electric energy and adapted by the closing of its cire reliefport when the zero pressure or a predetermined pressure above zero of the fluid and connected with the valve and motor circuit, thereby closing the valve andmotor, circuit only when the gauge indicates the-zero pressure or the predetermined pressure above zero, and thus causing the motor to move the valve to different positions, the construction and arrangement of the valve being such that in one position thevalve will allow the combustible fluid to pass therethrough to the pumping units, that in a succeeding position the valve will shut ofl communication beweenthe pumping units and the fluid supply and simultaneously will cause the closing of the circuit for the ignition means so as to ignite the charge of the combustible fluid .within a pumping unit and thereby to expel liquid therefrom into an adjacent unit, and that in a third succeeding position the valve will allow the exhaust of the burnt gases from the respective units to the atmosphere.

5. A pump comprising a plurality of pumping units adapted'to be arranged one 'circuit with the source of electric energy; a

pressure gauge connected with the fluid supply means so as to register a zero pressure or i a predetermined pressure above zero of the fluid and connected with the valve andmotor circuit, thereby closing the valve and motor circuit only when the gauge indicates the zero pressure or the predetermined pressure above zero, and thus causing the motor to structio'n and arrangement'of the valve being such that in one position the valve will allow the combustible fluid to pass therethrough to the pumping units, that in a succeeding position the valve will shut ofl communication between the pumping units and the fluid sup ply and simultaneously will cause the closng of the circuit for the ignition means so as to ignite the charge of the combustible fluid within a pumping unit and thereby to expel liquid therefrom into an adjacent'unit, and that in a third succeeding position the valve move the valve to different positions, the con will allow the exhaust of the burnt gases from the respective units to the atmosphere; valve means provided in each of the pumping units for controlling the delivery of fluid to the unit; and means controlled by the flow of liquid in the pumping units so as to cause operation of the valve means in the respective units and thereby to supply the combustible fluid to thepumping units successively upward from the lowermost unit.

ARMAIS ARUTUNOFF. 

